Texas is on the brink of enforcing one of the toughest social media restrictions in the United States, as a bill aiming to ban users under 18 from accessing social media platforms has moved past the Senate committee and is now set for a full vote in the Texas State Senate. Lawmakers must pass the bill before June 2, which marks the end of the state’s legislative session.
If approved, the legislation will compel social media companies to implement strict age verification processes before allowing users to create accounts. Moreover, the bill grants parents the legal right to request the deletion of their child’s account. Platforms will have a 10-day window to act on such requests, or they may face enforcement actions led by the Texas Attorney General.
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This proposal follows earlier legislation in Texas mandating age verification for adult websites and takes a tougher stance than similar laws in other states. In Florida, for instance, a recently passed law bans children under 14 from using social media, while those aged 14 and 15 can only join with parental consent. Texas’s bill, in contrast, would block all individuals under 18 from using social platforms, regardless of parental permission.
At the national level, momentum is also building for tighter regulations. In April 2024, the U.S. Senate introduced a bill to ban social media for children under 13. Although the federal bill stalled in committee, Senators Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Ted Cruz of Texas have shown renewed interest in pushing it forward.
The debate surrounding youth access to social media continues to intensify, with lawmakers emphasizing growing concerns over mental health issues, digital privacy, and online safety for minors. As the June 2 deadline approaches, all eyes are on Texas to see whether it will become the next state to pass sweeping legislation restricting minors’ access to social media platforms.
